A common problem encountered in bending a metal workpiece using conventional brake equipment having a vertically moving ram or bed is that both sides of the workpiece rotate upwardly about the bend line. The wider side must be supported during such upward rotation in order to maintain accuracy of the bend. Furthermore, the workpiece is positioned and supported within such conventional brake equipment and may shift during the bending process due to applied force thus further affecting the quality of the bend. The problem is particularly felt when bending a wide workpiece with a thickness greater than 10 gauge.
Another type of brake equipment where the workpiece is clamped between lower and upper clamp means and wherein bending of the workpiece is performed by a rotating bending member and only a portion of such workpiece protrudes beyond the front edges of the upper and lower clamp means is bent upwardly is generally applicable to a light workpiece with a thickness of less than or equal to 10 gauge. The presently available construction method of such brake equipment is not suitable for adaptation for bending a workpiece with a thickness greater than 10 gauge.